Tara Jade Samaya, Gold Dust, interactive dance installation as part of PUNQ 2024. Concept and curation: Tara Samaya. Photograph: Pippa Samaya.
Stock Exchange Arcade: 76 Mosman Street, Gudjal Country / Charters Towers Queensland 4820.
View the interactive PUNQ Art Trail Map for directions or experience as part of our Gudjal Country / Charters Towers Art, Gold and History Tour.
Venue Accessibility- Nearby accessible parking.
- Nearby accessible public transport.
- Nearby street drop-off points.
- Assisted wheelchair accessibility.
- Signage indicating it is a PUNQ program.
- Venue is close to accessible private bathroom facilities that offer wider doors, adequate floor space to move around in the bathroom, and fixtures designed for comfort including hand railings and low-effort tap handles.
- This performance will move through the streets of Charters Towers and will involve following the artist on foot.
- Bus charter available to book.
This is a free event.
PUNQ TOUR DETAILS
Charters Towers Art, Gold and History Tour
$45 per adult ($35 concession) | $35 per child | Day tour | 33 bookings maximum | 8+ (Children under 8 years are not able to attend due to seating restrictions)
Saturday 17 August 5.30 - 6.30pm
Gold Dust
Tara Jade Samaya
Travel to a town once known to many as ‘The World’.
Gudjal Country / Charters Towers, previously a Mecca for gold and those who sought it to build their fortunes. Join an unlikely fantastical character on a journey through the historical town, draped in gold, forever seeking. Relentlessly muttering mantras, transfixed on her search, obsessed, and ever the explorer. She traverses with a curious and visceral sound score seeping from the shadows, echoing the history of earth and metal. Roving projected images act as a conduit for thoughts, memories, and dreams. Is she the seeker of gold, or is she gold itself? How does she measure her worth? Where does she search for value? And at what cost? The invitation is for you to question, interact, join, ponder, photograph, or simply sit together. This performance is an interactive dance installation, arriving at the old Stock Exchange as the sun sinks into darkness. The glitter fading, as the shimmering, humming of gold dust rises.
About The ArtistTara is a multidisciplinary artist that, teaches, creates and performs dance. Tara recently relocated back to Australia from Europe where she rehearsal directed at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen and danced with Staatsballett Berlin under directorship of Sasha Waltz and Johannes Ohman. Also working with artists Jefta Van Dinter, Emmanual Gat, Dasniya Summer & Jan Martens, created production ‘I’m here now’ with Filmmaker Pippa Samaya for the Komische Oper Berlin.
In 2019, Tara won Helpmann and Greenroom Award for Best Female Dancer in Australia for her work in Chunkymove's Common Ground (Anouk Van Dijk). Previously nominated for Greenroom/Helpmann Awards in 2017, 2012 & 2010. Over the course of her career, she has worked with many companies, organisations and independent creators including Chunkymove, Australian Dance Theatre, Douglas Wright, Prue Lang, Lina Limosani and was appointed Chunky Move’s Artistic Associate 2016.
Her film collaborative ‘The Samaya Wives’ with partner Pippa have national and international acclaim for their short experimental movement films, screening across festivals, galleries and independent cinemas worldwide. Their Dance film ‘Oten’ with Catapult for Newcastle Art Gallery won them an Australian Dance Award in 2019 and in 2024 present at ACMI for the Environmental Film Festival with ‘A Call to Arms’ produced by Drill/Bob Brown Foundation and in St Kilda Festival for their film ‘Vigil’ with Outer Urban Projects.
Stock Exchange Arcade: 76 Mosman Street, Gudjal Country / Charters Towers Queensland 4820.
View the interactive PUNQ Art Trail Map for directions or experience as part of our Gudjal Country / Charters Towers Art, Gold and History Tour.
Venue Accessibility- Nearby accessible parking.
- Nearby accessible public transport.
- Nearby street drop-off points.
- Assisted wheelchair accessibility.
- Signage indicating it is a PUNQ program.
- Venue is close to accessible private bathroom facilities that offer wider doors, adequate floor space to move around in the bathroom, and fixtures designed for comfort including hand railings and low-effort tap handles.
- This performance will move through the streets of Charters Towers and will involve following the artist on foot.
- Bus charter available to book.
This is a free event.
PUNQ TOUR DETAILS
Charters Towers Art, Gold and History Tour
$45 per adult ($35 concession) | $35 per child | Day tour | 33 bookings maximum | 8+ (Children under 8 years are not able to attend due to seating restrictions)
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PUNQ respectfully acknowledges the Wulgurukaba of Gurambilbarra and Yunbenun and the surrounding groups of our region; Bindal, Gugu Badhan, Nywaigi, Warrgamay, Bandjin and Gudjal as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we gather, share and celebrate local creative practice. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first people of Australia. They have never ceded sovereignty and remain strong in their enduring connection to land and Culture.
PUNQ respectfully acknowledges the Wulgurukaba of Gurambilbarra and Yunbenun and the surrounding groups of our region; Bindal, Gugu Badhan, Nywaigi, Warrgamay, Bandjin and Gudjal as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we gather, share and celebrate local creative practice. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first people of Australia. They have never ceded sovereignty and remain strong in their enduring connection to land and Culture.
PUNQ is produced by Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts. The festival is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation and receives funding from Creative Australia through the Australian Cultural Fund. Townsville City Council is a funding partner of PUNQ.